In the ever-competitive landscape of Indian eCommerce and retail logistics, last mile delivery has emerged as the ultimate differentiator. It’s no longer just about getting products from warehouse to doorstep—it’s about how efficiently, accurately, and transparently that journey unfolds.

Whether you’re a D2C fashion brand in Bangalore, an electronics supplier in Mumbai, or a home furnishings retailer in Hyderabad, your customer expects the same thing: fast, frictionless, and trackable deliveries. And this is where the last mile either makes or breaks your logistics success.

At eShipz, we’re helping businesses across India and beyond turn last mile complexity into strategic advantage. 

Let’s break down the top strategies for 2025 that will help future-ready brands master this critical phase of logistics.

What is Last Mile Delivery?

Last mile delivery refers to the final leg of the shipping process—where goods travel from a transportation hub, distribution center, or warehouse to the end customer’s location. Despite being the shortest distance, it accounts for more than 50% of total logistics costs, according to industry reports. A McKinsey study notes that 75% of customers expect same-day delivery, yet only 20% of retailers can offer it profitably.

The Core Challenges of Last Mile Delivery in India

• Urban traffic congestion in metros like Delhi, Bangalore, and Chennai
  
• Failed delivery attempts due to inaccurate addresses or unavailability
  
• Lack of real-time visibility into delivery status
  
• High cost per delivery in low-density rural areas
  
• Customer dissatisfaction from missed ETAs or lack of updates
  

These issues compound as your order volumes grow. That’s why 2025 is all about tech-driven last mile automation, and eShipz is leading the charge with cutting-edge solutions designed for scale and adaptability.

Shipping strategies to ensure efficient last mile delivery

1. Dynamic Route Optimization Using AI & Machine Learning

Traditional static routes don’t work anymore. With eShipz’s Smart Order Routing engine, powered by AI, you can dynamically calculate the fastest and most cost-effective routes in real-time.

This allows you to avoid delays, reduce fuel costs, and ensure better SLA compliance across Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 cities in India.

Brands using Smart Routing have reduced delivery times by up to 25% while improving on-time delivery metrics significantly.

2. Multi-Carrier Shipping and Smart Allocation Logic

One of the biggest inefficiencies in last mile logistics is over-dependence on a single carrier courier. eShipz integrates with over 100+ courier services/carriers, including:

• Blue Dart
  
• Delhivery
  
• Ekart
  
• XpressBees
  
• DTDC
  
• Shadowfax
  
• Amazon Shipping
  

With Smart Allocation, shipments are dynamically assigned based on real-time rates, zone performance, weight, and serviceability—ensuring maximum reliability and lowest cost for every delivery.

Brands achieve better coverage, improved delivery times, and cost savings of up to 18% per shipment.

3. Real-Time Shipment Visibility for You and Your Customers

Today’s customers demand live updates. If they can’t track their orders, they lose trust—and that reflects in your NPS and repeat purchase rate.

Today’s consumers expect full visibility into their orders—from dispatch to delivery. In fast-moving categories like fashion, electronics, or perishables, lack of real-time tracking can erode trust and increase support load.

Modern shipment visibility tools offer predictive ETAs, live GPS tracking, delay alerts, and digital proof of delivery. With a unified dashboard to monitor shipments across carriers, businesses gain better control while customers enjoy a transparent, informed experience.

This level of visibility helps reduce WISMO (“Where is my order?”) queries and improves delivery confidence across the board.

4. Automated Notifications That Prevent Failed Deliveries

A common issue in last mile delivery is the failure to deliver on the first attempt—often due to the customer not being available.

With automated delivery notifications, businesses can pre-empt these failures by keeping the recipient in the loop throughout the journey.

Notifications sent via SMS, WhatsApp, and email provide timely updates on delivery time, courier location, and even payment reminders for COD orders. This significantly boosts first-attempt delivery rates, particularly in urban and COD-heavy regions.

By keeping customers informed, you ensure higher delivery success rates and reduce the operational cost of reattempts.

Brands have seen a 15–20% improvement in first-attempt delivery success rates.

5. Exception Handling and Redelivery Automation

Not every delivery goes as planned—but what sets leading brands apart is how quickly and efficiently they handle these exceptions. Redelivery automation enables businesses to recover failed shipments at scale by instantly:

• Identifying the reason for failure
  
• Enabling customers to reschedule through a self-service portal
  
• Routing redeliveries through alternate carriers or time slots
  
• Tracking failure patterns to proactively fix systemic issues
  

This prevents cancellations, enhances the customer experience, and safeguards revenue.

6. Sustainability and Green Last Mile Practices

As regulations and consumer awareness grow, logistics sustainability is becoming a KPI.

By going green, brands not only reduce costs in the long run but also attract younger, eco-conscious customer segments in India and globally.

Customers are 4x more likely to buy from a brand with sustainable delivery options.

For D2C brands, aggregators, and enterprise retailers alike, the difference between repeat purchase and churn often lies in last mile experience. Automation transforms fragmented, error-prone processes into predictable, customer-friendly journeys.

With eShipz, you don’t just automate—you optimize.

Why eShipz Is the Preferred Partner for Modern Last Mile Logistics

At eShipz, we specialize in enabling businesses to transform their last mile delivery operations with automation, intelligence, and flexibility. Our platform supports everything from multi-carrier integration to real-time tracking and smart routing, all in one unified interface.

Here’s what makes us the trusted partner for leading brands across India:

• Unified dashboard for shipments
  
• Deep carrier integrations
  
• Real-time tracking and alerts
  
• SLA monitoring
  
• Smart allocation and routing
  
• Redelivery automation
  
• Post-purchase engagement workflows
  

Brands like Snitch, SaveX, HomeLane, and Wakefit use eShipz to deliver at scale with control.

Last Mile in 2025 Needs to Be Smart and Automated

The stakes are higher than ever. Whether you’re scaling nationwide or refining your customer experience, efficient last mile delivery will determine your growth trajectory.

With eShipz, you’re not just reacting to delivery challenges—you’re proactively solving them with automation, analytics, and AI.

Want to know where your last mile is leaking time and money? Let our experts show you.

👉 Book a free demo now →

Sources: Mckinsey | Statista